'Devil Wears Prada 2' shows how Christian imagery circulates in unusual ways through fashion

COSTA MESA, Calif. - EntSun -- Lynn S. Neal, Wake Forest University, Seductive Kiss Fans Entertainment News

At the world premiere of "The Devil Wears Prada 2," actress Meryl Streep leaned into her character's devilish persona. She wore the character's signature sunglasses along with long black gloves and a flowing red leather cape from Givenchy's Winter 2026 collection.

Streep's outfit, though, is a small moment in a much larger story – one in which Christianity and fashion have been intertwined for centuries, sometimes as adversaries, sometimes as collaborators.

While neither of the "Devil Wears Prada" movies revolve around Christianity, the invocation of the devil taps into an older moral rhetoric. For centuries, fashion was cast as the troublesome, if not villainous, enemy of a pure and spiritual Christianity – a symbol of putting material desires before holy ones. For example, 18th-century cleric and founder of Methodism John Wesley urged his followers to show their faith by dressing "neatly" and "plainly."

More on EntSun News

• $4.8M in Contracted AI Revenue with Projections of $30M Over 6-12 Months for Diversified AI Software and Platform-Based Services Provider XMax Inc
• Michelangelo's Great Secret Hiding in Plain Sight
• Virginia Marchese's Paradox: A Nation Still Deciding Who Belongs Examines Race, Migration, Law, and America's Unfinished Struggle for Equality
• From Blank Page to Published Book
• Larry R. Wasion's Jump Gate III RoadMaker Blends Cutting-Edge Sci-Fi with High-Stakes Space Exploration and Complex Technologies

Yet Christian imagery has come to shape the industry in profound ways. As a scholar who researches the relationship between Christianity and fashion, I have traced how Christian imagery circulates in surprising forms. The devil, for instance, occasionally appeared in fashion advertising to suggest sin, sensuality and transgression.

Christian Imagery of Angels and Eve

In the mid-20th century, Christianity often occupied a supporting role in the fashion industry. It showed up in articles by Christian religious leaders and color photographs of Christian art and architecture published in fashion magazines.

For example, articles on how Christianity addresses contemporary problems by Catholic Bishop Fulton Sheen and Columbia University Chaplain James A. Pike appeared in Vogue alongside ads for makeup and fashion photo shoots.

Christian imagery also appeared in fashion advertisements featuring "Sunday best" clothing and Easter dresses. Ads showed angels gifting consumers "heavenly" products that promised beauty and ease.

More on EntSun News

• American Mensa and Davidson Institute Join Forces To Strengthen Support for Profoundly Gifted Youth
• 16th Annual Art Of Brooklyn Film Fest Returns June 1-10 with 55 New Indies
• 360 Sound And Vision Releases The Ubiquitous Compact Disc and America's Most Deadly UFO Encounters
• SpeedyIndex Rolls Out Automated API for Mass URL Verification, Solving the Backlink Blind Spot for SEO Agencies
• DJ Serving Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Ann Arbor Areas Walks Clients Through the Process

The devil only occasionally played a part in ads for fashion products, such as perfumes, makeup and handkerchiefs. These advertisements depicted the devil as a snake or alluded to him and his role in the Book of Genesis. The biblical passage recounts how the serpent, typically interpreted as the devil in Christian theology, tempted Eve to sin by eating the forbidden fruit. Eve then offers the fruit to Adam, and, having both sinned, they realize their nakedness, are ashamed and make clothing.

http://youtu.be/3ptAsyL_TlQ?si=mLzV1hc93J4b1NGH



https://banddarkeloh.bandcamp.com/track/sin-awaits-me

https://theconversation.com/devil-wears-prada-2...